Berchtesgaden and Eagle's Nest

Warren, If your budget will allow, the method I'd use would be to take a Bus from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden, and then take a tour with Eagle's Nest Tours. If you'd prefer to travel directly from Salzburg, you could also consider a tour with Bob's Tours. I've found that taking guided tours often provides a more interesting, educational and rewarding look at historic sites, so I don't mind paying for these. Happy travels!

Warren, We are going to take David and Christine Harper's "Eagle's Nest Historical Tours" (Rick's Vienna, Salzburg, and Tirol 2012 book, page 312) while we are in Salzburg in mid June. We reserved our tickets back in January after some research. On this site as well as other prominent travel review sites many people have been very disappointed with Bob's Tours. We have no personal experience with his tours, just reinforcing what we have read. We will have to pay for our own 45 minute bus ride from Salzburg to get there. Dave and Christine's tour does not include the bus ride from Salzburg. Hope this helps.

You will not be disappointed with the Eagle's Nest Tour that Ken and Steven referenced. You meet up with them right across the street from the train station so it is very easy to find. Having done this tour I can highly recommend it and our guide was Christine Harper who did an excellent job.

There is a bus from Salzburg, the Watzmann Express (RVO 840), which leaves hourly from in front of the Salzburg Hbf and goes to the Berchtesgaden Hbf. The fare is €9,50 for an RVO Tagesticket. The Tagesticket covers the RT between Salzburg and Berchtesgaden as well as any bus transportation in Berchtesgaden. So, you take the Waltzmann Express to Berchtesgaden Hbf, then get on RVO 838 to the Dokumentation Center stop for the bus to Kehlstein. At that stop you purchase a ticket for €15,50/adult for the trip up to Kehlsteinhaus (the Eagles' Nest). Note: admission to Kehlsteinhaus is free; I've seen people hiking up to it. The ticket gives you round trip on the special buses on the private road and the elevator from the Parkplatz to the Nest. According to David, his company, Eagles Nest Tours, provides guides at the Bus Parkplatz who will give ½ hour tours for €5 at 10:35 and 11:25. That's about what I did some years ago (except I took the train from Freilassing to Berchtesgaden). Doing most of it by yourselves would cost €30,00/person (9,50 for the bus to the base of Kehlstein, 15,50 for the bus up, and 5,00 for the ½ tour). I think that option is a good deal, certainly far less than the other ones. If you take the bus to Berchtesgaden on your own and then take EN Tours, it will cost you €59,50 (9,50 for the bus and 50,- for the tour). You'll have the rest of the day, until the last bus run to Salzburg at 6:15 PM to see the Dokumentation Center, take the boat on Königssee, or walk around the town. If you want to stay in Berchtesgaden past 6, use the trains with a Bayern-Ticket (€21 single, €29 up to 5P). The trains run until 10 PM.

Thanks for all the detail. Warren

If you have the time, the Nazi Documentation Center Museum is definitely worthwhile. You can rent an English audio tour and move through the museum at your own pace. Depending on your time, the museum is very informative but don't miss out on walking through Hitler's Bunkers. It is very extensive and amazing. Have a great trip!

According to the RVO schedules, you can leave Salzburg Hbf at 9:15 and get to Berchtesgaden Hbf at 10:01. The Watzmann Express leaves from bus stop G or H, on Karl Wurmb Strasse (between the two Forum buildings to the right, or north, of the plaza in front of the Hbf). In Berchtesgaden, there are two adjacent bus platforms in front of the Hbf. Bus 840 arrives at the outer one (2); bus 838 leaves from 1 at 10:15. You don't need to buy another ticket if you have a Tagesticket; you can use that for bus 838. According to RVO, you get off at the Dokumentation Center at 10:27. The Bahn website doesn't show the Dok Center stop. It says to get off at the Hotel Interconti stop at 10:42. I've found mistakes in the RVO schedules; I tend to believe the Bahn, but ask the driver where to get off for "Kehlsteinhaus". There will undoubtedly be others doing the same thing. Both websites agree you want the 11:00 bus from the bottom (Busabfahrt) up to the Kehlstein Busparkplatz at 11:15. When I was there, the guides were standing near the elevator entrance. Before going up to the Nest, you should book a time for your return trip to the bottom at the counter to the right of the elevator entrance. The Dokumentation Center is near the bus startup station and is really worthwhile.